Bogey helps resolve leasing disagreement

Saturday

Mar 23, 2013 at 5:19 PMMar 27, 2013 at 7:49 AM

Davida Siwisa James, Special to the Daily Press

VICTORVILLE • Teresa D. Sumerlin has a permanent disability and lives on a small, fixed income. Her housing costs are subsidized by a Housing Choice Voucher administered through the Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino.

Sumerlin moved into a new apartment, leased through Capital Development Realty Services, in March 2011. With the subsidy, Sumerlin's portion of the monthly rent was very small.

After one year, Sumerlin's HCV allotment changed. The increase required her to pay five times as much, which amounted to almost half of her SSI income.

Sumerlin was forced to look for a different apartment so she could go back to a rental amount that would be within her means. She eventually moved into a new apartment, thinking she had permission to end her old lease.

On Oct. 19, Sumerlin wrote to Daily Press consumer advocate Michael "Bogey" Boguslawski asking for his help. Sumerlin explained the complications with the first lease, which had caused her to need assistance resolving matters between the Housing authority and the Realtor.

According to Sumerlin, the case worker at Inland Fair Housing negotiated between HACSB and Capital Development to allow her to terminate her lease.

"Capital Development told her (the case worker) that I could break my lease due to the fact that HACSB changed their allotment amounts, creating a financial hardship," Sumerlin wrote to Boguslawski. "I submitted all the proper paperwork on May 1, 2012."

Sumerlin was hospitalized for three weeks in May, and had to deal with moving soon after her hospital stay. After moving, she advised Capital Development of her new address to forward her $1,250 security deposit.

"On Aug. 22, I received a letter from Capital Development billing me for the remainder of my two-year lease to the tune of $7, 016," Sumerlin wrote.

The issue of Sumerlin's refund was now tied up in the bill for the balance of the lease.

"I am requesting that you try to help me get my deposit back," Sumerlin wrote. "I am permanently disabled, and this money would be a big help."

"Ms. Sumerlin's deposits should be refunded immediately and her outstanding bill of $7,016 should be cleared per HUD housing law," Boguslawski wrote in a Nov. 13 letter to Capital Development.

The realty company returned Sumerlin's $1,250 deposit on Feb. 28, and absolved her of responsibility for the remaining term on the lease.

"I want to thank the Daily Press for having a man like Bogey on your team," Sumerlin wrote in a March 13 letter. "What we have gone through to get this resolved has been overwhelming."

Get complete stories every day with the "exactly as printed" Daily Press E-edition, only $5 per month! Click here to try it free for 7 days. To subscribe to the Daily Press in print or online, call (760) 241-7755, 1-800-553-2006 or click here.